Louise's Italian Coconut Cake & Frosting

This cake is so delicious people will be asking you for the recipe. I know. That's
how I got the recipe; I asked Louise.

5 eggs, separated

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

1/2 cup Crisco

2-1/2 cups all purpose flour, sifted

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup shredded coconut, packed

1 cup pecans, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 8-inch cake pans.

Beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry. Set aside. Cream
butter, Crisco and sugar until fluffy, letting electric mixer run for 4 or 5
minutes. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each
addition.

Sift the flour and baking soda together. Add to the egg mixture, alternating
with buttermilk, starting and ending with flour mixture. Add the coconut
and nuts. Beat well. Fold in the beaten egg whites.

Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Remove
the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes. Run
a dinner knife around the edge of each layer and invert each onto a rack, then
invert them again onto another rack so layers are right side up. Allow to
cool completely before frosting.